"UCF: Creating the Future of College Sports."
That UCF mindset now comes with a vision and action plan for the future of the Knights' football campus.
**EXPOSURE STORY WITH RENDERINGS**
Presented to the UCF Board of Trustees, that vision includes significant proposed new elements that will enhance the Knights' ability to compete for football championships:
- a new structure on the south side of the football stadium to be located above the Garvy Center for Student-Athlete Nutrition, featuring all UCF football coaches' offices combined with premium seating in front of the office areas and the Launch Club, a premium area that will serve as a daily club for lunch and/or dinner and also a proposed new UCF faculty/staff club.
- a rebuilt Wayne Densch Sports Center that, in the absence of football staff offices, will feature an expansion and renovation of the locker room and team lounge and meeting area, Bortles and Murray Athletic Training Room, equipment facilities and Gault-Kohn Sports Performance Center as part the Knights' football training facility
- creation of Nicholson Plaza, a football "town square" outside the southwest corner of the football stadium, with the highlight of that location to be McNamara Cove with a recovery river
- movement of one existing football practice field (west field) to the other side of the second (east field), creating additional space for Nicholson Plaza
These additions combine with several new elements added in the months since UCF vice president and director of athletics Terry Mohajir and football coach Gus Malzahn took over in early 2021. Those new elements include replacement of existing synthetic grass in Nicholson Fieldhouse, outside painting of Nicholson Fieldhouse, all-new theming in the UCF football office areas and hallways and new seating and graphics in the Knights' team meeting room.
All those improvements, combined with the Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership on the east side of the stadium, will further refine a state-of-the-art plan for football facilities and support services within a concentrated locale on the northeast side of the UCF campus. The intent is to create a dedicated football campus that will consolidate the Knights' facilities in the areas of housing, nutrition, sports medicine, sports performance, academics and career services.
"The football campus will be a major asset in the UCF Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, and these plans will provide additional consolidated resources for our student-athletes with all of them in close proximity. We want to create more value for our program and be poised and ready to compete with any brand in the country," says Mohajir.
The last decade of UCF football has featured unprecedented success in terms of an unbeaten season and national championship in 2018 and an impressive series of major bowl appearances and American Athletic Conference titles. Mohajir understands the Knights need to continue to produce at a high level. He has a bold vision for the future look of UCF's football campus as the Malzahn era begins for the Knights in 2021.
"The infrastructure of our football program moving forward is a major priority," says Mohajir. "Not only is football critical to financing all 16 of our sports, but it also has been the most effective vehicle in our emerging national brand."
Mohajir first presented details and renderings to the Board of Trustees at its meeting today. Specific architectural plans, cost estimates and a timetable for completion are yet to be determined. UCF Athletics corporate partnerships and fundraising activities will contribute to the funding.
"Vision without action is a daydream," says Mohajir. "This will become a reality. The only variable is time. I know Knight Nation is energized and will jump on board with action to support our vision."
These future plans for the UCF football campus will be followed with an updated and enhanced vision for facilities for other UCF sports.